Omaha daily bee., 1887-09-09
The VETERANS FROM GOTHAM
The Great Transcontinental Excursion
e Party Arrived Yesterday.
THE MEETING CT FIREMeN
1fet At the Train by the Omaha Vet
Grams, the New Workers March
INTO the City - The
Cappa Band.
The Metropolitan Vets.

song and story. The wonders of steam
and electricity are the sequel to his days
OF usefulness. but while he lives, he will
always be regarded with admiration by
his fellow man. while his hours Of danger
end fidelity, of bravery and of triumph,
will always make him q welcome guest
wherever he goes. 1t was such feelings
hs these that actuated the great crowds
waiting at the Union Pacific depot yes
terday, to welcome the New York veter-
hn fireman. Both the old volunteer and
the paid department Of Omaha, headed
by the Union Pacific band, marched to
the depot at three O'Clock in readiness
TO give their expected guests a
welcome cheer. The old Omaha
firemen presented natty appearance In
their busters and cream colOred slouch
hats with their miniature silver helmet
and silk badges. The expected train was
fully an hour late. but the crowds patti
emily waited as il bent on the perform
the tedium with occasional pieces.
At last the lOOked-fOr train appeared; !;
the reception committee of the home fire.
men were drawn up bv the side of the
track, and amid the music OF the band
and the hurrahs of the multitude the tram
steamed in. The New Workers were not
long in alighting, and after five minutes
everybody felt at home, and the line OF
march was formed. 1t extended up
Tenth street to Farnam street, and thence
to the board of trade building.
Along the line of march lusty cheers
were given and the visitors felt their well
come. They looked the exact type.of the
old fireman, save that time in It's hair
thinniuD prnppca had MT Iaft than, thu
possibility of the wellremembered Nose
soap-locks. They were buffcolored pan.
falcons, red shirts and fire helmets and
carried their Overcoats of buff color on
their arms. Cappa's famous Seventh
regiment band of forty-six pieces was
nt its best and keeping time to its inspirit-
ing strains made marching easy. The
evolutions of tho band while marching,
in which its ranks turned and twisted US
on pivot attracted much attention.
One OF the interesting incidents of the
procession was the appearance OF A. ID.
Jones, Omaha first postmaster, who no
doubt cOntrasted its appearance with Its
size when its postoilice was IN his hat.
Arriving at the board of trade building
ber of Commerce. Mayor Broatch was
Introduced in few appropriate remarks
by l. w. Miner, chairman of the recep-
tion committee, and read the following
address of welcome
Gentlemen: In behalf of the, city Of
Omaha and the veteran volunteer fire depart
ment OF this city, 1t affords me great
pleasure to welcome you here. We extend
70 you. IN every sense OF the word. the free
dom OF the city, and assure you that our
courage OF our own veteran fremen will
cause us to extend q warm greeting to their
comrades of other cities. TO them our latch
YOG have i0nrneved from the prea,
metropolis of this nation-traveling from
the orient to the occident, and when you
find yourselves upon the Pacific slope, you
tourney you will be in the east again.
Thirty-three years ago Omaha had no
istence. To-day it has population of 100000
Where the red man had his habitation and
the buffalo rOamed you now see the dwell
angs OF civilization, and numerous people
engaged IN manufacturing, commercial and
other pursuits. We feel that our own city of
Omaha Is brilliant example of the thrift,
energy and Industry of the western people.
Our bank clearances for the past week were
over 10 corresponding period of last year
and the deposits aggregate about SIS, ,O00, ,00(
Mt the present time
We have room for more of everything that
isgood. and our feelings are best illustrated
your money! "0 =" p'"'' A'' ''1 ""'
Young as we are, we have q history. and
not the least OF It's chapters Is that on the
Ne fnaIiss what the hour OF tho weather
might be, our fireman was always ready to re
spond, and no danger was too great,
m AGGe from 100 Doing srdGSs Ss duty ts p'syTFnn III.
honor and respect shown to the memore!
Of Randall, Lee, McNamars, Wilson and
Iockfeldt who lost their lives In their effort.
20 save life and property at the burning OF
the Grand Central hotel will bear witness L
this.
have distinct recollection of the old
fire department of New York city; l can re-
panies attended tournaments at Hartford
and MlddletOwn. and / recollect mock
murder trial OF celebrated case then ,agi
upon a Steamer % going % down h the Come Connection @
river. Twice In the history of New Yorl
city the volunteer fremen saved the cit,
from complete destruction. Once in 1888
when fifty.two acres were burned over, de-
str0ying $50 buildings and involving q los
of $l5,00O0OO upon 1000 mercantile firms
and again in lS45, when 800 buildings were
DESTROYED, with loss of 81, SOC, 900 and thirty
five lives. 1t was upon such occasions as
these that the present veteran showed thu
etutf he was made OF and checked the dan
gerOus element ne was called upon to sub
due. What did 1t matter ii in their very ca
gerness to be first at fire one company
would collide with anotherp 1t was the yea
we first looked at, and then the result.
fancy see IN the eyes of you gentlemen
the days gone by. 1t is a "Reminiscences of de-
parted glOries; it is the same which you set
In this city to-day In the reunion of old sol
diers fighting their battles over again anC
stimulating the young to future deeds O
yalor.
Speaking of old soldiers, the fire depart
ment of New York city were the iirst In tn,
field for the protection of their government
and about the first victim of the war was tn
brave Ellsworth, the colonel Of the New
York Fire ZOuaves.
AS useful however as the volunteer fireman
was in his day, he was but the pioneer of tn,
present system, which we must confess, 4
more effective than the old just as the breecf
loader is more effective than the muZzl,
loader with which the battles of 1860 and g!
were fought.
Who has not seen the double decker hant
engine of the larger cities? A marvel o
beauty in construction, but who would no
to-day exchange 1t for the elegant steame
we now havep / have pumped at a hand en-
EiDe, but l confess to partiality TO
bteam. We'll, there is nothing like frater
pal feeling, and 1t is because of that, we to-
day greet yon as our guests, and taking you
by the hand, open our hearts, our homes, ant
our purse strings, II you need them. TO-da!
all that we have is yours; enjoy It. WheI
yOu leave us, We hope that the impression
we have made will be indellibe, and that on